THUNDER BAY – In a 6-5 vote, city council has approved Miles Street East as the site for the temporary shelter village.
Couns. Brian Hamilton, Kasey Etrini, Andrew Foulds, Shelby Ch’ung, Greg Johnsen, and Kristen Oliver voted for Miles Street, while Couns. Rajni Agarwal, Albert Aiello, Dominic Pasqualino, Mark Bentz and Trevor Giertuga voted against on Monday evening.
Coun. Michael Zussino and Mayor Ken Boshcoff were absent.
Bentz cautioned council members that he would not support the staff recommendation, stating that things could change next week when council votes to ratify Monday’s vote.
“I think it's important that we don't have all members here tonight. So, whatever is decided here at committee could and might change next week at ratification. It could be a real rollercoaster for the community over the next week by the way that I count the votes around the table. So, that's an unfortunate occurrence, but it's the reality of things, so I would ask you to hold on tight and wait for ratification for the final say on this,” Bentz said.
Hamilton highlighted that the McKellar Ward is “exhausted” by the sheer “disorder” the ward has faced over several years.
“We're tired of constant vigilance against property crime, theft, intimidation. It has been a tough go in McKellar Ward. I know I represent a very urban constituency, but it hasn't been an easy couple of years. The opioid crisis is really pronounced in McKellar Ward," Hamilton said. "The tent crisis is really pronounced in McKellar Ward. The thefts, and I think that goes right across Thunder Bay."
He said that as elected leaders, they need “to stand up and not get tired.”
Hamilton said the city is not building an emergency shelter, but a space where homeless individuals can transition out of homelessness and into a “spectrum of wellness that includes going into permanent housing.”
“I think this village concept, there are unknowns. But the notion is, and the pragmatic and practical approach of building a managed, sanctioned, safe, secure, and clean encampment, I believe, and evidence supports my thoughts, that there's going to be a decrease in call volume for emergency services. There's going to be a decrease in overdose deaths,” Hamilton said.
The location was first proposed in November 2024, but the idea failed to pass council, largely due to the objections of business owners in the south core.
Agarwal, who also sits on the Fort William BIA board, said the BIA had consulted with their members, as well as residents in the neighbourhood, and their minds had not changed since November.
“We're looking at 80 units of people to live there. We had more people say no than yes. None of us at this council table have businesses presently in that BIA or surrounding the BIA. We are speaking in conversation, saying we hope, if, we think, we may, but none of it is conclusive evidence saying that it will work. There is no conclusive evidence,” Agarwal said.
As part of the recommendation, the Miles Street/Simpson Street area will be added to the Eye on the Street program's Code of Practice.
Administration will also provide an annual contribution of $125,000 to the Fort William BIA's budget to support its revitalization efforts and to address its concerns related to security and cleanliness.
